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The match Novak Djokovic called his ‘toughest loss’ ever at the ATP Finals when history was on the line
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

No player in tennis history has won as many ATP Finals titles as Novak Djokovic.

The Serb has emerged triumphant at the prestigious year-end event a record seven times, four of which came consecutively from 2012 to 2015. Djokovic went on a remarkable run in those years, losing just one match across four editions of the ATP Finals; a 2015 group-stage bout with longtime rival Roger Federer

Heading into the 2016 ATP Finals, Djokovic was looking to make it five titles in a row, but he was denied in the championship match by a defiant Andy Murray.

Novak Djokovic celebrates with the 2014 ATP Finals title
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

Andy Murray’s triumph over Novak Djokovic at the 2016 ATP Finals

Just weeks before the ATP Finals that year, Murray became the first British singles player to be world number one since computerised rankings began in 1973. He achieved the feat by reaching the final of the Paris Masters, but the next goal was to secure year-end number one status, which he was battling with Djokovic for.

Murray and Djokovic, seeded first and second, respectively, won all of their round-robin matches and came through in their semifinal clashes to set up the final every fan wanted. The two had already met four times that season, having battled in finals at the Australian Open, the Madrid Open, the Italian Open and Roland Garros.

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Djokovic came out on top in three of those meetings, but the assignment at the ATP Finals was a particularly challenging one, given Murray’s form. The Scot was on a 22-match winning streak after capturing consecutive titles in Beijing, Shanghai, Vienna and Paris.

Not to mention, Murray had the crowd on his side, as at that point the ATP Finals were played inside London’s O2 Arena. Indeed, Murray didn’t disappoint the home supporters and overcame Djokovic in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, to win the ATP Finals for the first time and finish the season ranked first in the world.

Years later at the 2022 ATP Finals, Djokovic was asked in a press conference to name both his favourite and most disappointing moments he has had at the year-end event over the seasons. He replied: “The best memory from the Finals would be probably – trying to remember the year against Roger, when I made the passing shot down the line on match point. I think it was 2014 or ’15 when I won against him.”

Djokovic defeated both Rafael Nadal and Federer en route to clinching the 2015 ATP Finals title, beating them both in straight sets. He then said: “The toughest loss, in the Finals, I had two of them, would probably be against Murray that year in 2016. We were actually fighting for year-end number one, and he won.”

Andy Murray celebrates with the trophy after winning the ATP Finals in 2016.
Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images

Novak Djokovic’s only other defeat in an ATP Finals title bout

Outside of the defeat to Murray in 2016, Djokovic has only lost in the championship match of the ATP Finals one other time, which came in 2018. Djokovic was the favourite to win the title that year, with Roger Federer acting as his biggest competition.

He reached the final fairly comfortably, but was beaten by a 21-year-old Alexander Zverev. The German battled past Djokovic in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, to lift, at the time, the biggest title of his career. Prior to the final, he had lost to Djokovic in the round robin stage.

After 2018, Djokovic went on to win the ATP Finals title twice more, emerging victorious in 2022 and 2023, which marked his last appearance at the event. Djokovic is bidding to qualify for the 2026 ATP Finals and will appear at the Basel Open to continue his pursuit of a qualification spot.

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